Dark Kingdom
by Diabetic.T1
Summary: Set after season 2 finale and loosely based off of Stefan's Diaries: Klaus is murderous, the circus is in town, and an unknown power of darkness is taking over Mystic Falls. Damon and Elena finally feel the time is right between each other, but will Damon finally get his dark princess? "Look at them all," he husked out, moving her hair off to the side. "They're all here for you."
1. Prologue

**So I've been gone for a while, but I've been moving, finishing school, and finding a job. Also, I've been working on this story so I'll always have chapters to upload and I hopefully won't fall behind or lose motive. Please let me know what you think. And I can promise you that this story is something that you've never read before when reading Vampire Diaries fanfics. It starts off ordinary, but this story is going to transpire into something so supernatural that you'll feel like you're living through it too. **

**Please review!**

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The blood was pumping through her veins. He could literally smell the red liquid flowing underneath her unblemished skin. He could see the traces of blue veins. And if he looked closely, he could still see two pin pricks on her neck, flowing down to her collarbone where he wanted to stick his two canine teeth.

Stefan's gums ached as he led Elena back to his room. He had done what Klaus wanted. He gave Damon the blood and now he must carry out Klaus' next instructions. Somehow, the original vampire knew that Elena was still alive. He had ran around the outskirts of town in a wild frenzy, acting out his wolf nature, and when he transformed into a vampire again one of his witches told him about their 'vision'.

Elena was still alive.

And now it was Stefan's turn to carry out Klaus' second part of the deal. He wished he didn't have too, but seeing her standing in his doorway, looking all innocent and juicy had his fangs longing to come out to play.

"Elena," Stefan started to say.

She didn't seem to notice the torment going on in his head right now. The questionable mistake he was about to make. Instead, she still looked at him as if he were her hero; the golden boy who would save the day and take on everyone else's problems.

But that was wrong.

"Stefan," she cut him off. "I know what you're about to say," she whispered while looking down at the ground. Elena hugged her dainty arms around herself before gathering up the courage to look at him.

Could she really know what he was going to do? Would he go through with Klaus's compulsion? So far, he had fooled Damon into thinking he was okay. Damon was too weak still to smell the human blood on his lips; see the faint red foaming at his mouth like a rabid animal.

"This past year I've promised you that I would always choose you." Elena took a tentative step towards him and Stefan felt his eye brows knit together. This definitely wasn't the talk he was expecting.

In this moment he was supposed to be ripping into her neck. He was supposed to be doing what Klaus wanted and Klaus wanted the doppelganger to be dead or at least injured. But Klaus knew that Stefan wouldn't be able to handle Elena's blood. The hybrid knew that if he bit Elena then she was going to end up dead.

When Elena stood in front of Stefan, within arms reach, he gripped onto his legs to keep his arms from reaching out and snapping her neck. It would be so easy to twist and manipulate her body into any form he wanted.

She didn't know the true monster in him; just waiting to come out and play.

"And I love you Stefan. I really do," she reassured him in a rush. She looked up at him with her big brown eyes and all of a sudden her doe eyes didn't affect Stefan like they used too. "But—"

"But you kissed my brother," Stefan filled in for her. He had heard their kiss and his brother's dying love confession. Right when Stefan walked into the boarding house he had heard his brother's declaration of love. And with his power, Stefan could hear Elena pressing her lips against Damon's all the way from the parlor.

She looked ashamed as she hung her head. A brown hair of curtain fell across her face so he couldn't see her delicate cheekbones or almond eyes.

"Do you have feelings for him, Elena?" Stefan rasped out. The monster within him wanted to break free and use her bones as a toothpick between his teeth, but the human in him was hanging on and fighting to overcome his darkness.

"Stefan, I—" Elena stopped talking the moment she saw his eyes go red and the black veins bubble up beneath his skin. "Stefan?"

Stefan felt his gums ache before his teeth slowly showed themselves. He blinked at Elena and tilted his head. She was slowly taking steps back from him as he approached her heavily. It took no time at all for him to have her pinned against the wall.

"He's all over you," Stefan hissed out. His nose ran up her exposed throat, over her jaw and to the side of her head.

"Stefan," Elena said slowly. She eyed him cautiously; and Stefan liked the danger he saw revolving through her hazel eyes. She tried to take another step back and he grinned when she realized she couldn't move. "You're scaring me," she added.

Her veins were throbbing under her skin. "Run, Elena," Stefan gritted out momentarily letting his human feelings get in the way.

"What?" Elena asked in shock.

"Run!" He roared in her face. His hands reached out to grip anything to keep him from reaching out. But Elena only got two feet away before he swiftly turned and caught her around the waist. He threw her across the room and watched her bounce on his bed. She gripped her waist with a pained expression.

She scrambled off the bed. "Damon!"

But Stefan was quick; the animal inside of him taking over as he pushed her against the wall. His side table near his bed toppled over as he covered Elena's mouth with his hand.

"You really think my brother is going to be able to stop me? I'm compelled to bite you; something I've wanted to do since I met you."

Her cries were muffled by his hand. Roughly Stefan turned her head and smirked. "Just one bite; that's all."

His teeth ripped into her skin and the moment her sweet blood hit his lips Stefan moaned. He forgot about muffling her pleads and dropped his hand to her waist. He squeezed reassuringly; but that did nothing to stop the tears that ran along the edges of her eyes.

Barely getting a moment to enjoy the blood he was ripped away from his love and shoved across the room by an unseen force. When he looked up from the ground, Elena's blood dripping down his chin, he glared at his brother who looked nothing but healthy now.

"Hello brother," Stefan hissed. He stood up and didn't bother wiping Elena's blood from his face. "Come to join the party?" Stefan looked past Damon and saw Elena leaning against the wall; her hand pressed against her open wound. His teeth flared up as the scent infiltrated his senses.

Damon stepped in front of him before he could even think about moving closer. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, brother." Damon chided while wiggling his finger in Stefan's face. "We don't eat our girlfriends."

Stefan tried again to get past Damon, but this time Damon used his vampire strength to push Stefan against the wall and hold him there by his shoulders. At this point Stefan might as well been foaming at the mouth like a rabid animal.

"You're her knight in shining armor now? Congratulations; I no longer have to play that role," Stefan hissed before groaning as Damon dug his hands into his shoulders even harder. "You've won, Damon," Stefan rasped out. "You finally won the girl."

"Look, I don't talk crazy so you're gonna have to be a little bit more clear with all your ramblings, brother."

Stefan's laugh turned into a raspy cough. The realization of what he just did slowly entering his mind. His eyes looked past Damon and landed on Elena who was barely holding onto her tears. Her hand was still holding her neck while her other arm was wrapped around her waist. He knew that she probably would be bruised from when he threw her before and guilt settled into his mind.

"You have to let me go, Damon," Stefan pleaded as tears of his own sat in his green eyes. "I have to make sure that she's okay. I hurt her…oh God, I hurt her. Don't you see, Damon?" Stefan sagged against the wall and Damon loosened up his grip. "Klaus compelled me to bite her and I did…I was weak and I hurt her. You have to help her." Stefan was all the way on the ground now. He was looking up at Damon as if he held all the answers in the world. "She wants you. You have to help her."

"Elena," Damon continued to stare at his brother who looked so helpless and lost all of a sudden. "I need you to leave. You don't have to stay here and watch this."

"But Damon," she insisted.

"Just go," he held up his hand and stopped her from whatever she was about to say. Stefan watched as Elena and Damon seemed to have their own language. It didn't take much longer for the silence to convince Elena to leave. "Go to a guest room, shower, and I'll be there shortly."

Stefan watched Elena scurry out of the room as if Damon had compelled her to listen to his every word. Stefan wanted to say something to her but she left so quickly.

"Klaus compelled you?" Damon asked shortly. He seemed to be concentrating on something and Stefan listened too. All of a sudden it dawned on him that Damon was able to listen to Elena moving about their house. He was never able to do that on animal blood before.

"Yes," Stefan looked down at the ground. "But it's over now. I'm better," Stefan said. He looked up at Damon again who was glaring down at him with his arms crossed. "I can be better Damon. I might even be able to go back to human blood. I stopped drinking from her, right?"

"Yah, you did….only because I ripped you away from Elena. You're not better Stefan. In fact, I think you on the human stuff makes you even more crazier than you already were. Now get up," Damon ordered cruelly. His boots kicked towards Stefan and he reluctantly got up. "Clean your face. You look like the animal you really are."

Stefan narrowed his eyes before wiping his face with the back of his sleeve. Power was coursing through him; the thought of biting another human making his teeth show for a split second. He took a calming breath and focused on the sounds of running water. Even with just a little human blood he could already feel the effects.

"All this time you wanted me on human blood and now that I want to try it you're telling me it's a bad idea?" Stefan asked.

Damon deflected the question and waved his hand dismissively. "How does Klaus even know that Elena's alive?"

"He has more than one witch."

"You know," Damon started walking in front of Stefan. "Now's not really the best time to go on a ripper spree. We have Klaus to deal with, his traitor of a brother, and not to mention Jenna's and John's deaths to explain to the whole town without using compulsion because of the stupid vervain in the councils systems."

"If I were you baby brother, I would take a walk tonight and stay far, _far_ away from this house." Damon's ice blue eyes pierced Stefan and it was as if Damon was using his vampire powers to control him. If Stefan didn't know any better than he would have assumed vampires could compel other vampires just by Damon's look and force of words. "If I so much as hear you come back to harm Elena, who's supposed to be your girlfriend by the way, then I won't hesitate to stake you myself."

Before Damon could leave Stefan spoke up. "I'm pretty sure she's not my girlfriend anymore."

Stefan watched as Damon's back froze and his hand rested on the doorknob. "What?"

"She doesn't love me anymore. Her choice isn't me."

Damon left Stefan alone with his own thoughts after that confession. Stefan stared down in defeat the moment he was alone. But one thing caught his attention:

The smell of blood coating his sleeve.


	2. Drinking With a Friend

**Author's Note-So first we have to build up tension with this story, add some fluff, and then we can add the angst and drama. Please tell me what you like and don't like. And if you have questions, ask me anything.**

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Damon waited until he heard the door close before he walked to his room with heavy steps. He passed the door that Elena was behind; the water long ago shut off. Without thought he went to his side table, pulled out a full bottle of bourbon, and walked back out.

He thought about what he was going to find on the other side of the door. Damon, for some reason, could not process what Stefan told him. He was sure that whatever bumps Elena and Stefan hit that they would overcome them in a week. It was his brother's guilty conscience that was talking before. There was just no way that the golden couple broke up because Elena felt something for him.

Damon knocked twice before Elena came rushing to the door. She was wearing a very flimsy gray robe and Damon smirked when she pulled it closer to her chest and retied it again. Her hair was dry and in natural waves while her skin seemed unblemished.

She was perfection in his eyes.

"Damon?" Elena asked with a higher pitch than necessary. She cleared her throat lightly before shuffling her feet and Damon had to wonder why she was so fidgety.

"I brought drinks," he lifted the bottle and smiled when she didn't shut him out. He didn't know what that meant but she moved away from the door and if he was a perverse man than he would look down at the opening of her robe. He would stare and imagine just how perfect her chest was, however, he kept his eyes trained ahead and he cursed himself silently.

Her lack of clothes was making it very hard for him to concentrate.

"I hope it's okay I'm borrowing this, but my shirt had blood on it and this robe was just hanging on the door," she rambled while looking down with a faint blush.

"Old Zach use to hang those in the guest rooms just in case people came to stay." Damon sat down on the edge of the bed. Elena was standing in front of him and he couldn't help his eyes as they traveled up her tan legs to the edge of the robe that reached right above her knee. His mouth went dry as he thought about whether or not she was wearing panties.

"Damon?" Elena questioned.

Her voice was tender; unsure. He's never heard her use such a soft voice with him before. It was as if they were acting like they didn't know each other now.

"Hmm?" He murmured just as quietly as she spoke.

She sat down on the bed with him. "I asked: what are we drinking?"

Damon smirked now. This was a topic he felt comfortable talking about: alcohol. "My favorite bottle of bourbon that I have been waiting to share with someone." He opened it and let the smell infiltrate his nostrils. If he couldn't have blood then he would at least drink something that curved the cravings. "Ladies first."

Her hand brushed his with the lightest of touches and Damon wondered if she did that on purpose. She was blushing again and God damn, she was so cute with the heat in her cheeks. It made him realize that she was real; right in front of him within reach. If Stefan was wrong then he would stake his brother for giving him the slightest cloud of hope.

She took a small sip and nearly spluttered at the taste. Damon let out a small chuckle as she handed the bottle back to him right away; as if he was going to force her to drink again. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and made a 'blah' sound.

They were quiet, sitting side by side on the bed. Their thighs were practically touching and he could feel the heat radiating off of her skin through two layers of clothes. Damon took a sip and welcomed the burn that traveled down his throat. Alcohol heated him; made him feel almost as if he had a body temperature like a human.

"He's going to be okay, right?" Elena asked quietly. She was looking down at her hands, her fingers playing with each other nervously. She looked up at Damon with her big doe eyes and the vampire knew he was done for. Elena could ask for anything and he would be at her mercy. "It was just one bite. Stefan will be fine, right?"

Damon couldn't stand it that his brother and Klaus were making Elena feel this vulnerable and upset. When she started to pick at her one nail, he enclosed her hand with his and hoped to God that she wouldn't push him away. To his surprise she laced their fingers together and turned more towards him. Her other hand closed over his and it was as if she was holding something breakable; her touch was that light and Damon felt his cock stiffen just the slightest.

He was pathetic.

Falling for his brother's girl and getting a stiffy because she was cradling his hand.

"He'll be fine. Just a couple of days for the guilt to fully settle in and he will be back to brooding and hunting bambi." Damon winced when Elena looked away again. He wasn't sure what was going on through her head. "But he will be fine, Elena. He's done it before in the past and he'll do it again in the future, but it gets easier."

When one of her hands left his he thought that she was pulling away but narrowed his eyes as she took the bottle from him and took a bigger gulp than him. Her eyes watered and her face scrunched up again, but she took the swig like a champ.

"It's my fault," Elena finally said. She gave the bottle back to Damon. "I don't think bourbon is the drink for me."

"Hold on a second," Damon chided. "You don't just get to say that. We're going to talk about this."

"What?" Elena stood up now and put her hands on her waist. "You're getting upset because I don't like your bourbon?"

Damon stood up too and diverted his eyes away from the opening of her robe. Elena must have seen his quick peek because she adjusted it again. God, where was her thin tank tops when Damon needed them the most?

"This is not your fault, Elena. It is Klaus's and Klaus's alone. He's pissed you're still alive and he's using Stefan's weakness against him." Damon put his hands on her shoulders and caught her eyes. They were intense and nearly black; just like his. Hesitantly, Damon's right hand moved up and over her skin. There were three sets of bite marks and he felt guilty that one of those bites came from him when she was unwilling.

Damon noticed the blush from her neck all the way to her forehead before she spoke.

"I told him we kissed. He could smell you all over me."

Damon's eye brows furrowed together. If he wasn't careful then he would start getting wrinkles like he always told Stefan. But he shook off the hope and confusion at Elena's words and spoke slowly.

"That's normal. He was fighting compulsion, probably confused himself, he didn't know what he was saying or doing, Elena."

"But the thing is Damon," she trailed off and looked down at his dark boots. She sighed and Damon was holding onto every breath she took. If he had a beating heart then he was sure it would be beating a hundred times a minute.

Elena moved fractionally closer and their chests were nearly touching. His hand that was still touching her bite marks moved behind her head and his finger tips ran through soft waves of hair.

"You're killing me here, Gilbert. What are you trying to say?"

Damon's voice was detached from his body. He didn't even recognize himself as he was sure he sounded like a love struck high school boy with no experience whatsoever.

"I didn't care that he could smell you all over me. I didn't feel guilty or bad about it. I felt joy and relief that maybe just maybe all the pretending would be over." Elena stepped even closer and her hands moved to the back of his shirt, her fingers gently moving the hem of his shirt so she could touch his bare skin.

Elena Gilbert was confusing him. Damon really tried focusing on her words that were spewing from her mouth but her hands on his body distracted him immensely. Not once had he felt this torn since being a human. Here was the girl that he was in love with and now she was finally accepting him? Something was different with her that night.

"There's something between us and I think—"

Damon groaned; interrupting Elena. "I hate to stop you because I am definitely interested in where this conversation is heading, but Liz is at the door."

Elena stepped away from him, muttering something that Damon couldn't even decipher. He watched Elena walk out of the room and head downstairs. He had to wait a few seconds to make sure that nothing was bulging out of his jeans. He was pretty sure that Liz wouldn't be impressed to find Elena here with a one hundred and seventy year old vampire who had a hard on.

By the time Damon made it downstairs he was catching the end of Elena's and Liz's conversation.

"You shot Jeremy?" Elena rushed out. Damon heard Elena's heart start to beat faster and faster by the second and he was sure she was about to have a heart attack. "Is he okay? Is he hurt?"

Liz looked distraught by this whole night. Damon didn't blame her considering she is adjusting to her only daughter being a vampire and then finding out that practically the whole junior class knows about vampires and witches.

"I'm so sorry Elena. I was aiming for Damon and he moved and Jeremy took the bullets. Bonnie and Alaric took him. He's fine. I checked in with Mr. Saltzman." Liz put her hand on Elena's shoulder and Damon noticed her tense.

"I have to go. It's a school night and Jeremy shouldn't be alone right now. Thank you for telling me Sheriff Forbes."

Elena turned to walk past Damon and as he tried to catch her eyes she looked down at the ground and tucked her hair behind her ear. Damon wanted to talk about what was happening between them, but that sounded girly and he had an angry sheriff to talk to. As he looked up at Liz she shook her head.

"I'm not even going to ask what's going on between you two."

* * *

Elena and Caroline walked throughout the halls that Monday afternoon. It seemed everyone was going crazy considering there were only one more day left of school. Finals were taking place the next day and then they would be done with their junior year.

Not to mention rumors were flying left and right about Stefan and Elena. Elena thought the school would be over talking about her and Stefan breaking up for what felt like the tenth time that year, but apparently the kids still needed gossip to talk about.

As they passed by some of the football players they were both given a colorful, bright flyer.

"A summer party?" Caroline questioned as she read the flyer. "Tyler mentioned this to me before he left weeks ago."

Elena glanced down at the half naked woman on the flyer. "A beach party with a Hawaiian theme?"

"It's like a fundraiser I guess for new uniforms," Caroline said. "And I guess some of the guys are hoping girls will come slutty and willing for them."

"I thought Mrs. Lockwood was in charge of the booster club for football? Did she approve of this?" Elena and Caroline weaved through the students who were cleaning out their lockers. It was obvious that students were getting summer fever. It seemed everyone was rowdy that day with the cheering and yelling.

"She doesn't exactly know about it. We should go. It'll be fun and God knows that we could all use some fun around here." Caroline bumped Elena's hip. "Who knows, maybe you'll find a rebound. Get the kinks out of your system."

Elena rolled her eyes. "I don't need to add another boy to my boy-trouble list. Two Salvatores are enough."

"Two?" Caroline halted her movement and grabbed Elena's arm. "What do you mean two? As in Stefan and _Damon_?"

Elena nodded her head. "Yup. It's not exactly ideal for me to break up with one brother and then start dating the older brother. I think people frown upon that." Or at least everyone in town seemed to almost frown upon it. Students who didn't even know Elena were giving her judging looks that day. Elena didn't even know how they figured out she had feelings for the older Salvatore. Did they all see her and Damon's shared looks, longing glares, and heated tension?

Were they that obvious?

"Okay," Caroline agreed. "That's the first reason why you shouldn't associate with Damon." Then the blonde started ticking off her fingers as she spoke. "Then there's the fact that he's an ass, an alcoholic, way _way_ older than you, rude, arrogant, and sometimes he kills people. Are those enough reasons?"

Elena didn't say anything. The reasons Caroline listed didn't surprise her. The blonde had a whole other perspective on Damon; however, Elena knew all those things about the vampire. She was willing to accept those flaws and move past them. She wasn't perfect either.

"There's something between Damon and I. And we kissed," Elena admitted.

"Forbes!" Tyler called out behind the girls. He was standing down the hall. "Wait up!"

Caroline looked back to Elena with a quirked eye brow. "We're not done talking. And I expect you to have the perfect outfit picked out for the summer party."

Elena sighed and started heading out of school. She was glad she picked out a skirt to wear when she stepped out of school. The weather was beginning to turn hot and sticky with humidity. When she was searching for her keys in her purse she wasn't looking up as she made her way to her car.

"Elena!"

She turned around with a startled expression on her face as Austin, a teammate of Matt and Tyler's, jogged to catch up with her. He had a bright orange flyer in his hand.

"I just wanted to make sure you got the invite." He gave her the flyer that she already had a copy of.

"Thanks Austin." She was going to turn around again and get into her car, but Austin hesitated.

"Actually, um…" He scratched the back of his blonde head. "I also wanted to know if you were going to come to the party."

"I don't think I can miss it. Caroline will not take no for an answer."

Austin's face lit up. Elena studied her classmate for a second. Austin wasn't bad to look at. In fact, he was really handsome and one could tell he was a jock. He was tall, standing at six feet. He had short blonde hair, gel in it so he could have a small fohawk in the front. His brown eyes were warm and seemed darker as his skin was already tanned from being outside for spring training camp.

They had shared a couple of classes together throughout high school, but Elena had never really thought of Austin in a romantic way.

"That's great!" He coughed a little. "I mean, not that she's forcing you but that you're going. Maybe you can save me a dance?"

Elena felt a light blush coat her cheeks. "Sure. I'll see you around Austin."

She watched him walk away before turning around to get into her car, but she stopped short the moment blue came into her peripheral sight. Damon was parked on the other side of her car; he was leaning against the driver's side door while twirling his keys around his finger.

Elena couldn't read his expression. They didn't leave on the best note the night before since she was in desperate need to get home to Jeremy. And the closer she walked up to Damon the more nervous she felt. Had he heard her conversation with Austin? And if he did, was he upset about it?

"Damon? What are you doing here?" Elena stopped in front of him and wished that he would take off his sunglasses so she could tell what he was thinking, but the moment his straight lips turned up at the corner in his famous smirk she couldn't stop her own smile.

He took her purse and put it in the back seat of his car and took the one book from her hands and tossed it inside his back seat too. She would have scolded him for being reckless and caveman like with her things but she became distracted as the black t-shirt he was wearing stretched across his chest and the muscles hidden from view rippled effortlessly.

Elena unconsciously licked her lips and the moment he lifted his sunglasses away from his face she got caught in his blue orbs that were turning darker by the moment. The brunette didn't miss the way Damon's eyes traveled her body and stayed on her chest for more than a few seconds.

"Hop in. I'm your new ride home now." Elena watched as Damon opened the passenger door for her and she felt as if she were drawn to him. She followed and when she realized he wasn't moving she slid into the seat carefully because of her skirt being a little too short for school standard. She glanced at her car and chewed on her bottom lip delicately. "Don't worry about your car. Jeremy's going to drive it home."

When Damon got into the driver's seat Elena smiled at him. "You planned this," she accused.

"I didn't plan on that _prep_ drooling all over you." Damon smoothly left the busy parking lot and Elena looked out her side of the car. There were her old cheerleading teammates standing around with some of the jocks and she couldn't help but smile a little as some of the girls ogled Damon and his car.

When Elena noticed they were stopped at a red light she let Damon's words register in her head and she whipped her head towards him. His gaze was downwards and she cleared her throat quietly to get his attention.

"He wasn't drooling over me like you just were," she said confidently. Elena unbuckled herself and turned her body to reach her purse. If she wasn't mistaken, she heard Damon's slight intake of breath as her bare thigh rubbed against the soft material of his shirt. She had always imagined his shirts were soft against the skin. When she found what she was looking for she slid them over her eyes, fluffed her hair a little bit, and then sat back in her seat, looking at Damon innocently. "What?"

Damon started driving again with a smirk on his face. Elena adjusted her sunglasses and leaned back comfortably.

"Nothing," Damon kept his smirk on though as he turned left instead of right.

"My house is the other way."

"I know," he quipped. Damon sped up so they were soon going eighty.

They passed the 'Leaving Mystic Falls' sign and Elena narrowed her eyes. "We're not staying in town? Oh no, you're not kidnapping me and taking me to Georgia again, are you?"

"Would you like me too?" Damon teased. His hand was resting between them so casually. Elena pictured what it would feel like to hold his hand, but resisted. Was it too soon? Stefan and she just ended the day before, but she felt an attraction to Damon that had been building up ever since he decided to show her the good side of him.

But the rational side of Elena was winning. Everything with Damon right now was too fast. Yes, when she was dating Stefan she and Damon bantered back and forth and held teasing conversations, but now everything felt different. The pressure was building and the tension that they ignored was becoming unbearable. But it was still all too fast. Everything with Damon was like that.

Luckily, Damon changed the subject, but unfortunately he changed it to an even more uncomfortable topic. "You're wearing a scarf."

"To um…" Elena's hands reached up and gently readjusted her dark red scarf. "hide the marks…from everyone."

For the first time in a long time Elena saw Damon look uncomfortable. He diverted his eyes away from her throat and parked the car in a busy parking lot. "I could, uh…you know…heal them to make it easier."

It took Elena a moment for her to realize he was offering her his blood. That was a first time too. She had never taken blood willingly and she had a feeling Damon was thinking back to his bedroom when he forced her blood recently.

Elena knew that vampires were picky about sharing blood and in a way she felt gratitude towards Damon for offering, but she wasn't ready for that kind of commitment.

"Um…that's okay. They'll be gone by the time of the party."

Was it in her imagination or did Damon really just flinch when she mentioned a high school party? Was it because of Austin who Elena saw as only a friend? She shook out of her thoughts and looked up at the building in front of her. Of course it was another bar he took her too.

"Is this another witch's bar?" She asked. Elena didn't have time to open her door because Damon was already doing it. "Thanks," she murmured shyly.

"You're different today," Damon pointed out; completely ignoring Elena's question. "You were different in Georgia too."

"I was drunk in Georgia; of course I was different." She forced a chuckle because everything about Damon screamed dangerous, fast, and unpredictable. Elena didn't know what she was getting herself into.

"You were having fun. You let loose and I think you even were, dare I say it, happy." Damon caged her in against his car and Elena leaned back to keep their mouths far away from each other. He whispered hoarsely while tugging lightly at the end of her hair. "I have seen you smile more times today than I ever have the last year."

Elena rolled her eyes and pushed Damon away. She pretended not to notice just how firm his chest was.

"Come on," Damon said while putting his arm around her shoulders and guiding her into the bar. "I know there's a pool table screaming our names."

"You're on," Elena said excitedly. "If I win you owe me cheese fries and mozzarella sticks…and dessert!"

"Geez," Damon joked, "You're going to break my wallet."

Elena bumped his hip with her own; loving just how easy it was to be carefree with him, but at the same time, she had to be careful.

Damon and his feelings were dangerous. He was like lightening; impulsive and beautiful.


	3. Roadside Assistance

**Important: So a few things-first, thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorite, or followed my story. It means a lot. And to the guest who reviewed, you seriously made my day especially!**

**Second, if you haven't read Stefan's Diaries yet, there is a character and spoilers in this chapter. Also, there will continuously be references to that book series. If you haven't read the second book, Bloodlust, then I suggest you do but you don't have to in order to understand my story. I'm bringing in the character Callie (Who I never personally liked because of what happened to Damon).**

**Third, if you go to my profile page I have posted a longer excerpt to an upcoming chapter. I will continue to post excerpts like that; especially if I get reviews or messages telling me that you're intrigued or like them.**

**Fourth, also on my profile page I posted a banner to this story. If you want to see who I imagine Callie to look like, go there and click on the link. Also, my banner features some of the main characters for this story. **

**Let me know with a review what you guys all think! Sorry for a long author's note.**

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With Damon's arm around her, Elena felt his fingers brushing against her bare arm. She was still in her white tank top and army green skirt from school; however, she ended up taking off her scarf because the bar that they were at was warm, smoky, and dark.

When they originally entered the establishment Elena didn't think that they would accept her. She was only seventeen and looked her age, however, Damon seemed to know the bartender and she was pretty sure her eye brows shot up to her hairline when the bartended even gave Damon a handshake as if they were old friends for decades.

The bar was small, rustic and old looking. At the time they had gone in it was practically empty. After all, it was still early in the evening to be drinking, but Damon didn't seem to mind and when he ordered her the exact beer she drank at Bree's bar, she couldn't resist either. Drinking with Damon and being around people who didn't know about vampires was refreshing, and Elena had her suspicions that Damon knew just how badly she needed to forget Mystic Falls for a little while.

They needed a five minute break where they weren't constantly worrying about Klaus showing up, Stefan going on a ripping spree, and all the death that continuously takes over their lives.

But now they were finishing their fourth game of pool, Elena's fourth drink, and Damon's tenth. After Elena's second beer, however, she requested Damon to bring her something stronger; something along the lines of what he was drinking.

After Damon released Elena and made his final shot to end the game she pouted. Her inhabitations were low, but not so low that she was considered drunk. Damon made sure that she had food in her system and even though she lost the last three games, Damon letting her win the first for beginners luck, he still bought her all the greasy food that she liked.

By now the bar was filled with locals to a town that Elena didn't even know existed, half the tables were filled on the floor, and the restaurant was starting to remind Elena a little of the Grill.

"I swear, you cheated," Elena declared. She crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip as she watched Damon carefully. He smirked his famous smile that caused goosebumps to arise on her skin. Everything he seemed to do lately set her on fire. "If I find out that you used any of your _special_ abilities I'm leaving."

He sauntered up beside her and Elena's brown eyes drifted lower on his body. His black shirt was stretched over his hard chest, the material taut with every move he made. And his jeans were low and tight on his hips in all the right places. She could just imagine the _v_ leading down to…

Elena whipped her eyes up to his when he stopped walking over to her. She was the one who wanted to take things slow. She was the one who didn't want to jump into a relationship right away because it wouldn't be right.

But Damon was the vampire who literally oozed sex. He made her think such dirty things whenever he was around.

Cold hands tangled themselves behind her neck and his body pushed hers against the edge of the pool table. Public displays of affection never bothered Elena that much. With Matt, it was easy. Everyone knew that he was just a normal boy and she was just a normal girl. But with Stefan, if they took things too far and too quickly then fangs threatened to burst out from his gums. Public affection with Stefan didn't exist.

Elena was hypnotized by his dark blue eyes. They seemed to be getting darker as the night went on, but that could also be because she was slightly tipsy and couldn't make out far away objects.

Her heart beat faster and faster when she noticed him leaning down. He was going to kiss her and she found herself too stuck to move. She was frozen by his icy eyes, and then disappointment settled in her stomach when he moved his mouth a fraction to the right and whispered in her ear instead.

His breath was hot against her skin and she shut her eyes to block out the feeling of his hand running down her back.

"And how would you get home?" He teased in a murmur.

His hand didn't stop when it reached her lower back. It moved to her side and started gliding down her thigh. However, it didn't take long before he reached her tan skin and she sucked in a breath.

"I would take your car," she urged out. She tilted her head back slightly as her thighs clenched. Damon's finger tips were dancing with the hem of her skirt and a small part of Elena, that was growing by the second, wanted him to go fully under and push her white panties aside. She wanted to feel his cold ring against her heated core and his long fingers enter her. Elena didn't even care that they were still in public. Damon could just make them forget anyways.

Elena's hands gripped Damon's upper arms to steady her. She didn't even realize she was pushing her hips against his lower body until she came into contact with his growing erection.

Everything about Damon was dangerous. Her feelings for him were hazardous and alarming. Feelings were skyrocketing to unbearable levels and Elena was sure she was going to burst. It was going to be fatal and deadly if they even stated a relationship. They weren't even dating and they were already exposed in front of the whole bar to see.

Elena remembered one conversation she had with Bonnie before the last decades dance. Bonnie had called Damon unhealthy, unsafe, and impending like a bomb. No one ever knew when he was going to tick.

Elena didn't care in that moment. The air between their bodies was hot and closing fast. Their touches were urgent and wicked against the pool table and they weren't even kissing…yet.

His cheek was against her own as his other hand swept her hair off to the side. "Bad girls don't get to drive nice cars."

Somewhere deep in the background music started playing in the bar and couples joined the dance floor. At the beginning Elena wouldn't have even suspected anyone dancing in this place, but couples were moving to the rhythm and they were grinding shamelessly now.

His left hand left her leg and she whimpered at the loss of contact. The next day she would be embarrassed by the sounds that left her body, but she couldn't care less in that moment. Damon ran his fingers down her side again and slowly pushed her shirt up a little.

"Did you wear this top to tease, Elena?" He purred seductively. He was lightening, and thunder, and poison all rolled into one. "And your skirt is too short for school. What was the reason you wore it today? Did you know that you were going to see me? Hmm?"

Elena opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it as she clung to him more. His nose was running down the side of her face, taking in her scent and her core was pulsing from his actions. Not once in her life had she ever been this worked up.

"Damon," Elena tried to say. "We can't…it's not-

"And your fuck-me-boots. I bet you got a lot of attention today; didn't you?" He pushed her back even further and Elena's hands braced themselves behind her back on the pool table. By now her head was slightly thrown back, her legs pinned against Damon's hips and manhood, and her cleavage was now on display.

She let out another whimper when he ran his nose and mouth down her neck and to the center of her chest. He wasn't kissing her but she could feel his wet mouth smearing its way over her body and she reveled in the new feeling.

"Is that what you like Elena, the attention? You know the boys stare," Damon nipped at her chest with blunt teeth and if the pool table wasn't holding her up then Elena knew that she would surely be on the ground by now. "People are looking right now. They see you but they can't have you, can they? They can't touch either, right?"

She shook her head slowly as if in a daze. No words were forming even though she had a lot to say.

"And why is that?" Damon smirked against her heated skin.

Elena shook her head no again. She couldn't be like this. She couldn't be this girl who thought of sultry things to say to Damon in a public place no less. She had never done anything like this before and fear of messing up and going too fast raced through her body. Elena had never been the submissive; especially to this extreme.

"We have to stop," rushed out of her mouth. She struggled for balance and for distance from Damon, but he wasn't making it that easy. With narrowed eyes, and a heated stare he finally took a step back. Elena's heart was racing for other reasons now. This was too much. She had never lost herself so quickly before. That was either a bad or good thing and she wasn't sure. "I can't do this. I'm sor—"

"Don't," he warned gravely. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. Elena couldn't read his expression and a chill went through her body. "I don't want to hear anything along the lines of an apology."

"Damon," she tried again and reached out to put her hand on his arm, but he pulled away. Elena narrowed her eyes at how childish he was being. She was just trying to apologize and he wouldn't let her. "Stop being so immature."

"I'm immature?" He whirled on her but still kept his voice dangerously low. Elena took a silent gulp before standing her ground.

"Yes, you are. You won't even hear my apology for goodness sake! And I'm sorry if you're mad, but having public sex and acting like some crazy person on a pool table in a crowded bar is not on my bucket list of things to do tonight! I don't know what came over me but—"

"You were having fun," Damon bit out and it made Elena flinch. "_We_," he corrected himself, "were having fun."

Was that fun? Elena didn't know and didn't care to think about in that moment. She was still too angry at Damon for being angry and withdrawn from her.

"Let's just go. Get in the car and I'll settle the tab," he directed with a sigh.

Elena crossed her arms. "And if I don't want to go?" She asked with an attitude. She knew she sounded spoiled, but why did Damon deserve to be upset and she couldn't?

"I'm tired Elena," he growled. "I'm tired of playing your confusing game. One moment you kiss me on my death bed, the next you're confessing to me about your feelings, and now you pull away. Just when I think we're headed somewhere you're the one to pull away."

This stunned Elena.

"Now get in the car," he snarled. "Before I make you. You're not wearing your vervain necklace anymore."

Elena stomped away; Damon's words ringing through her head. Was Damon correct? Did she lead him on and then pull away? That couldn't be right because she had been dating Stefan the last year. She had been sure she was in love with Stefan. Then how come she so easily falls for Damon lately and she and Stefan aren't dating anymore?

When she got into the car she folded her arms across her chest. She and Damon were friends, Elena reasoned. She had never led him on intentionally. Elena knew Damon was in love with her and she had always tried to be nice and friendly with him, but she wasn't the girl to try to draw attention to herself like that. She wasn't Katherine.

And she didn't always pull away from Damon. He always caused road bumps in their relationship too. He made her believe Bonnie died, he forced her blood more than once, and he snapped Jeremy's neck and killed Alaric. She might pull away because she's scared of her intense feelings, but he also had his own issues to go through too.

* * *

It didn't take Caroline long to find Stefan considering she could smell him a mile away. He had gone to the same clearing in the woods where he originally took her to hunt for the first time. It seemed to be his favorite spot. He was sitting on an empty tree trunk with his face in his hands.

"Stefan?" Caroline asked quietly. She didn't mean to scare him or sneak up on him but he whipped his face up in alarm and had her pinned against a tree within a second. She tried to pry his hands off of her throat, but she couldn't. "It's me," she croaked. "It's Caroline."

"Caroline?" Stefan questioned. His eyes seemed unfocused and blurry. But then it dawned on him and he slowly let her go. "I'm so sorry. I didn't-You just-I'm sorry," he finally settled on.

There were faint blood stains on the cuff of his shirt, a button was missing from his dress shirt, and his hair was disheveled all over the place. He looked like a wreck, and judging from his reaction to her, he was feeling just as bad.

"It's okay," she said slowly, cautiously as if he were a small child. Caroline held up her hands in surrender and gradually approached him. She motioned for the huge tree stump and they both sat down. "I was worried about you and apparently I had good reason to be."

Stefan laughed humorlessly and ran his blood caked hand through his hair. "I'm a one hundred and sixty-five year old vampire and I can't even control my appetite, thoughts, or feelings."

"Well," Caroline started but trailed off the moment her eye caught something to the side of her. There were five dead squirrels all lined up in a shallow hole. She grimaced as she saw their drained bodies. "How long have you been out here for?"

Stefan shrugged with slumped shoulders. "Since last night…since I bit Elena."

"It wasn't your fault," she declared. "It was Klaus'. He made you do that Stefan. Everyone knows that you wouldn't willingly hurt Elena like that. You two love each other. You guys are _epic_."

"We broke up, Caroline."

"I know, but maybe…" She trailed off. Wasn't she just the one telling Elena that maybe she would find a rebound at the summer party the next night? "So you guys didn't work out. There are other fish in the sea," she tried to cheer him up.

Just then her phone went off.

"It's Bonnie." Caroline opened her phone and showed Stefan the text message.

_Dad and Mayor are working together with Council. They are going to put vervain in the main water system_

Caroline bit her lip and looked at Stefan. "This doesn't sound too good."

Stefan sighed. "It makes sense. Jenna was listed as an animal attack, so was Jules. And then John, a member of the council, is found dead the same day as them. The council is bound to get scared and suspicious."

"Come on," Caroline stood up. "We should go back to the boarding house and unfortunately talk to Damon. He's on the council. Maybe he can stop it."

"I don't think he wants to see me, and Elena…she has every right to hate me." Stefan stood up anyways and started walking with Caroline.

"Elena doesn't hate you. She's just…confused right now. She just lost her aunt, her biological father who she didn't even get time to know, and now it's just she and Jeremy. Not to mention practically every supernatural being wants her blood or dead or both.'

"Caroline," Stefan snapped.

"What? Was that too insensitive?"

"No," he grabbed her arm and made her stop walking. "Listen."

Caroline took a moment to listen but she didn't hear anything. Then out of nowhere a force hit her by surprise and she and Stefan went sprawling into the air. She landed against a tree with a grunt and winced as she felt a crack in the back of her head. To her right Stefan was slumped on his side with a trail of blood leading from his ear to his chin.

A gust of wind circled them and leaves stirred up to create a covering so Caroline couldn't even see the sky anymore. There was no sound, no heartbeats indicating any life around them, however, the more Caroline panicked the more she saw leaves creating a canopy around them. Wind shook the trees and when she tried to stand up she was knocked down by an unseen force again. She narrowed her eyes and then it finally dawned on her; there was another vampire with them and they were playing tricks.

"Stefan!" She called out.

"I'm here!"

"Where's here?" Caroline muttered to herself. She tried to stand up again, but was pushed aside once more.

The leaves started to fall, the trees stopped shaking, and no sound could be heard. She could now see Stefan clearly. He was at least twenty feet away. But the moment he tried to stand a blur of red tackled him to the ground.

On top of Stefan sat a woman no older than twenty, with long, red hair, bright green eyes that were surrounded by a circle of red, black veins running down her cheeks, and freckles covering her whole body. She was a vampire alright and a strong one.

Caroline watched their exchange, noticing how Stefan's face turned to confusion, understanding, joy, and then finally weariness. The girl barred her teeth before giggling and laughing uncontrollably.

"You should see your face Stefan," she laughed before she turned back to her human face. She got off of Stefan and offered him her hand.

Caroline strolled up to them and crossed her arms. She glared at the girl. "And you are?"

The red head smiled at her and held out her hand. "I'm an old friend, right Stefan?"

Caroline looked down at the hand but didn't shake it. No vampire just came to town for the fun of it. Something was seriously wrong with this situation.

"How? Why?...When?" Stefan stuttered.

Caroline watched Stefan and the unknown vampire share a look that she didn't understand. And then Stefan turned to Caroline and slightly lifted the corners of his lips.

"Caroline, this is Callie. Callie Gallagher. And she's supposed to be dead."

* * *

The car ride had been silent so far. Damon had entered his car and didn't miss the way Elena had her arms crossed like a spoiled little child. He didn't have kind words to say to her and she obviously didn't feel like talking and so they were forced into silence.

Damon saw that his phone lit up with Caroline's name on it and so did Elena's. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Elena suck in a breath, bite her bottom lip, and quickly send a text back to the blonde vampire. Damon held in a groan when his phone went off again, indicating that whatever Caroline sent was a group text and now he was going to get everyone's responses.

Damon was content with the silence, or at least he was trying to act like that. This whole evening had been amazing and then they hit one little bump and everything became ruined.

"Damon?" Elena questioned softly.

If he didn't have vampire hearing then he might have missed Elena's voice.

"We should talk," she finally said when he gave her no response.

He knew he was being a dick. He should listen to Elena; maybe then she could explain what was happening between them because he sure as hell couldn't anymore. Everything they did together was complicated. It was complicated before the ritual and it just became even more confusing the more time they spent together.

"I really don't want to talk right now." He might say something he would regret. Or much worse, he might say something that would actually hurt her feelings.

"Well I do," her voice was stronger now and he knew that if he looked into her doe eyes then he would do her bidding, but it wouldn't be so easy this time. He wouldn't give her that much control over him like always. "We can do this the easy or hard way and I prefer the first option, but it's up to you."

Damon growled. She always left it up to him. It was up to him to save her. It was up to him to make the hard decisions. It was up to him to keep her alive and so he had to force her blood. Damon was use to those types of decisions, however, Elena would have to make this one all by herself.

"I'm sorry," he said sarcastically. He saw her flinch from his side view. Damon was trying desperately to keep his eyes on the road in front of him. "Am I not doing what you say for once? Am I making this too hard for you?"

"This is what you do, Damon. Something doesn't go your way and you lash out." Elena grabbed onto his forearm but he didn't budge and so he let her speak by biting his tongue to keep quiet. "We couldn't go any farther back there. I'm not…I've never…." Elena took a calming breath and Damon waited on pins and needles for her to finally get her yelling over with.

"I'm not that type of girl," she finally admitted. "I've never done anything like that in public, and...I got scared, okay? Everything we did back there, the way people were looking at us, _wanting_ to be like us was all too much for me. I've never done that before and I never thought I would like it so much, but…pull the car over."

"What?" Damon was hanging onto her every word. The moment she said the word 'scared' he softened inside and understood where she was coming from. She was only seventeen, nearly eighteen, she only had his brother and the quarterback to compare relationships with and Damon was no match for them. Of course he overwhelmed her, but he knew that she could handle it.

"Pull over the car, now," she instructed. And the moment he did so she hopped out of the car right away. Damon blinked once and then twice before he realized she was coming to his side of the car. He got out too and wished he had his jacket to give her because he could see her visibly shivering from the wind.

"I'm going to do what I should have done back at the bar."

And then Elena slammed her mouth against his and their lips collided for the second time. Although neither one were on their death beds and the kiss wasn't soft and gentle. This kiss was rough and hard. Both sets of teeth were battling for dominance and as Damon gathered his bearings his arm wrapped around her lower waist and pulled her closer so their hips were touching.

They could feel everything together. Damon pulled her lip gently the moment he felt her hardened nipples through her thin tank top. The way her hands reached up and scratched through his hair sent a fire straight down to his manhood. His other hand reached out and gathered her hair into a fist; angling her head in the right position so he could claim her mouth as if their lives depended on it.

When she had to breathe, Damon let go of her mouth but kept her body close. They were both panting from exertion. Elena's lips were full and red, her brown eyes almost black through and through.

"You were right," she whispered. "I had fun in Georgia and I had fun tonight. I'm starting to think that I could be anywhere with you and still have fun."

Her fingers delicately pushed his hair out of his eyes and he wanted to moan at the feeling because never once in his planning did he expect to have Elena wrapped around him on the side of the road where anyone driving past could see.

"All night and all day I have been giving myself reasons about why we will never work," she admitted quietly. "I know you probably don't want to hear them but it's going to be hard Damon. Around town, my classmates, they were all talking today about Stefan and I breaking up."

Damon squinted his eyes in slight anger. He would hurt anyone who hurt Elena. Getting those students names would be the first thing he does back in Mystic Falls.

"But," she hesitated and had Damon on his toes. If she denied him now he didn't think he could go back, "we have more than a connection Damon. I want to figure out what it is….I mean, that is, if you want to? I promise, no more freak outs from me."

Damon still didn't say anything. Instead, he let his mouth do the talking. Who needed words when their mouths moved together as one so well?

* * *

"You really don't have to come," Elena said as she got out of the car. Damon held her door open like a true gentleman. "It's going to be mostly high school kids, drunk, and stupid. I'm not sure I even want to go."

Damon gave her a pointed look and she shrugged meekly.

"Okay, fine, Caroline was right. The party will be a great vacation from everything supernatural, but I don't expect you to go or even want to go." Elena started going to the front door of the boarding house, already seeing Alaric's, Bonnie's, and Caroline's cars in the driveway. But two hands caught her and pulled her so her back hit Damon's hard chest. "Oomph."

Damon chuckled. "Do you honestly expect me to let you go to a party and not chaperone? You do realize every other party that you've gone to this year has led to something happening, right?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "I just don't want you to be bored." Elena didn't want him thinking she was ashamed to be with him. After their talk on the side of the road she couldn't care what her classmates or town thought. She wasn't with Stefan anymore. She was with Damon, and truth be told, her heart had been with Damon for a while now.

"Hush," he chided lightly while pressing a kiss behind her ear. "I've been to plenty of these things before. Free alcohol, hot girls to look at, and you possibly in a string bikini? I'm there."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Come on. We have been summoned to a meeting by Caroline. This might be something bad."

"Something worse than a ritual? Been there, done that. Whatever's new in town will be smooth sailing."

Elena smiled at Damon before detaching herself from him. She didn't know if Stefan was in the house and just because they were separated now didn't mean it would hurt less They would have to ease him into this. It wasn't fair for her to flaunt her new relationship.

But what surprised Elena the most was when she entered the boarding house she heard Stefan chuckling from the parlor. And with even more confusion, she heard a girl's hard chuckle that she didn't recognize.

"Damon?" She questioned when she noticed him stopped in the doorway. If she didn't know any better Damon was hearing a ghost. "Damon?"

He walked past her with a stoned face. She followed quickly, all smiles from before left their faces. Something was seriously wrong, and Elena didn't like it. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Great, you two are here, finally." Caroline stood up with a tight smile. Elena saw the dried blood on the side of her face and concern settled on her face. "Something is _seriously_ wrong."

Elena stood next to Damon in the entry way as Tyler and Caroline were on one side of the room, Alaric, Bonnie, and Jeremy were across from them, and a red head and Stefan were standing near the fireplace with tumblers filled with a red liquid.

"Damon," Stefan said; his smile dropping.

"Stefan," Damon noted slowly. His eyes were narrowed and focused on the unknown person in the room.

"I think you remember Callie; the girl you killed," Stefan bit out.

Damon forced a tight smile. Elena didn't like the murderous look in his eye, but something else unsettled her more. Damon wasn't just angry. He looked scared for a split second; something Elena had never seen before.

"It's hard to forget the person who captured and tortured you for weeks."

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**Once again, if you want to know who the main characters of this story will be, what Callie looks like, and read a few excerpts to my story, then go to my profile page and make sure you let me know what you think!**


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